WATCH: Footage show five lions escape from zoo enclosure in Sydney

A video has been released by Taronga zoo which shows five lions scratching and breaking the fence around them and finally escaping the enclosure.

In the video, the five lions, which include an adult male and four cubs, are clawing at the fence and then squeezing underneath it to escape the enclosure and wander outside their zoo.

The escape of lions, which took place in early November, led to the zoo's lockdown with the issue of a “code one” alert. The visitors and staff sought shelter till the lions were locked back in their enclosure.

The video shows the lions remaining close to the fence after escaping the enclosure, as lioness Maya remains inside it.

As per a statement released by Targona zoo, all five lions managed to escape but remained calm before returning to the enclosure on their own.

“The five lions calmly investigated within metres of their main exhibit, before actively trying to find their way back under the fence as lioness Maya and keepers began calling for them,” the Targona zoo said in a statement.

“The cubs and father Ato made several attempts to re-enter the exhibit and male cub Luzuko was the first to successfully do so. He was followed shortly after by female cub Zuri and male cub Khari. With encouragement from keepers, Ato returned to the exhibit before making his way into the dens to be reunited with his pride,” the zoo added.

Watch the video here:

The lioness Maya was seen remaining inside the enclosure along with her daughter Ayanna and was calling out to her cubs. The zoo added that the emergency response team had to tranquilise cub Malika, who was then sent back to the dens.

The incident is being investigated with the zoo stating that a detailed examination is being conducted into the “complex mesh fencing system” and the fence's failure by an “independent, specialist forensic engineer”.

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